Malnutrition causes billions in costs

A lack of nutrition costs billions in the health system.

(21.06.2010) Many people in Germany are malnourished and that causes billions in costs in the healthcare system. The German Society of Nutritional Medicine (DGEM) points to this aspect at the "Nutrition 2010" congress.

Malnutrition in one of the richest countries on earth is unlikely to be. But the German Society for Nutritional Medicine points to the ever higher costs in the health system, because more and more people, especially the elderly, are poorly nourished. No wonder, a flood of cheap ready meals and fast food inevitably leads to malnutrition. If those affected become chronically ill, this factor increases again.

According to the DGEM, the biggest share of these costs has to be covered by hospitals with around five billion euros. Because according to the experts, almost every third to fourth patient is poorly nourished. Additional costs arise in nursing with around 2.6 billion euros and in outpatient care with 1.3 billion euros per year.

As a reason for the increased costs, the DGEM explains a higher age of patients suffering from cancer and multiple diseases. These are "the main factors for malnutrition," says Arved Weimann of DGEM. Malnutrition leads to a longer recovery and thus to longer hospital stays. Risk groups are geriatric patients, people with malignant tumors and patients with severe chronic diseases, especially before organ transplantation. "With additional costs of about nine billion euros per year for the German health care system, the expenditures are considerable even without considering indirect economic and private costs“, Weimann explained.

Times will not improve. The costs could rise again until 2020. The DGEM expects an increase of around 25 percent to around 11 billion euros. For this reason, the professional society demands a targeted nutritional management. Nutrition therapy that is applied on time could, in many cases, dismantle health care and increase the quality of life of patients. (Sb)